Ditching-machine.



J. B. HILL. DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1908.

n im www qw m. 3% m wNwN y@ d] t N d m N J w, mf %\1\ n t. N, k" Y Q NQm. Nw f .Q N mw wk Y f m `.I/ 1, A, f ihk J. B. HILL. DITGHING MACHINE.APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1908. 941, 145,l Patented Nov. 23. 1909.

3 SEFITS-.SHEET 3.

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`r`rear..e1 1d ,uponr long-broad traction aprons,

STATES PATENT oE-E1QE f JAMES B. HILL, OF FINDLAY, OHIO.

ppiimion inea .my 17, 190s, seria1N0.444,o15.

I .a .r t fr.; maresme-MACHINE.

941,145.. Specicationpf Letters Patent. i Patented i `nTooll `.'whmn' itmay concern:

Beit known thatl, JAMESB. HILL, a citizen oftl1e, Uni ted States,residing at Findlay, inthe'fcounty oli-,Hancock and State of vv ()hio,have. invented a new and useful Ditch.-

ingl\ 4ac hi1 1e,',ofwhich the followingv is a spfecitication. j. 1 g.-5 This invention has referencev to' improvements-in ditching-machines,and its object is 4 to .y produce 1 a self-'propelling ditching machine,capable of operation particularly on Soft n.1a1sh-yaround.-.k l f4The,invention comprises a suitable .carrier ornveliiclemounted at theforward end and'adjacent-.to the aprons the carrier supports yaditching1 lhaving about its periphery number-ofjbuckets which are partsolid, andpart basket-,so asto adapt them to eX- cavate in wet groundand remove dirt'whileallow-ingthe water to drain away. In connectionwith .theexcavating wheel there 1s provided a conveyer upon which vthebuckets dump',

anilmhich will transport the excavated dirt toionesidefgontheditch-,fand either deposit itupon.- the: groundorupon suitable vehiclesfor= ,conveyance `toa distant point.

vThe' invention will,` be best understood Ifrom.. a ,consideratioxihof'the following detailed. ,description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming a part of ,this specification, in whichdrawings,

Eigurei 1t is a sideneleva-tion of theY improved. ditching machine. Fig.2 is a plan View ofthe -same, andFigs. 3, 4,' 5 and 6 are detail views'.

Referring .to thedrawings there is shown a platform l'nearone end ofwhich is mounted .lalboiler 2. the boiler end oi theplatform there .is`mounted an axle 8, connected near 'each en d',by chain 4 to thecorresponding-( end-offa shaftfnwjournaled in suitable bearings Vbeneaththelplatform 1. The shaft l-ldis.co upl ec l by Worm gearingr 6 toanother fpeplei ,1.0. medelpupjof @stillness igt-*f1 'apose'ds'egmentsBy providing".

Shale' amandine upwaaflbow a@ 'pla-rf forni, `anrilf; terminating. iny fa manipulating Whe-e118,4 constitutingthe steering wheel o'f the\strjucinret l' 1., `Upon each 3" theifeisH 'ingame ya 'heelhrils 'alirodpolysolmll .ressentais@forsoft; ma-Shy gradita an twin 'sustain-thweight @fthe may be coupled Ato or uncou'pled therefrom.

fing=menibers=33 erected upon the platform` vv1. Tlie-shaft licarriesaa.sprocket 'gear VlWheel 34 'arranged to be. coupled to or uur.;,'coupledl from' the. shaft 3'1"by"means..gf1 j;

structure Without sinking I ground.' Q, .w, Near the other end oftheplatfoim l is lcross beam or axle 11 cxtendingbeyondthe 6o` sides ofthe platform and'strengthened suitable longitudinal channel ironsl2.. At'i E each end ofthe beam or axle 11 there 4is se.-t cured a rectangularframe 13. Theft'op land. (i. bottom longitudinal members of tliefraiiie'f 13 are'connected 'at one end by the semi-ci cular tracks 14,and `at the other 4end therejis fr:

member-18. The series of .links 1T also feiltend around the sprockettw'iheels'fl.'onfthe j shaft 15, so that when the latter visprf"pel'ledd" f by suitable power, the treads 18 are carifiedflj'fi 8()Tcontinuously around the frafrnef13f,progres ively. The endless series ofltreads;const tute supports for the correspondingfjend jo the machine,and are in line' with 'the E wheels 9. v f v Steam Vfrom the boileriscon'veyed throughA 85 pipes 19 to .cylinders 2O constituting-thefen-vgine cylinders, and the pistons ofthe cylin-l ders are connected uptotlre'-mai-n shaft-211- upon which is mounted f suitble :fly- Wheel 22.f-p/ f'f Power is transmitted from thcniain s h'aftf 21 by a sprocketchain drvej2`3, froma 'pin-i ion 24 on the main shaft to 'a sprocketlcl'iain vorear 25 on another shaft 26 mounted on' the`v a u.) .2-

; main platform 1. The pinion 24 '1s not nor# 29?- mally in engagementWithilthe shaft 21 but through a suitable clutch 27. Mounted upon; themain shaft 21 is another-sprocketfpin-fi ion 28 under the control of asuitable clutcltimt@0 29 by means of whichI the sprocketpinion 2 8,Y

may be lcoupled 'to foruncoupledffromnthe,

main' 7shaft 2 1'. l"The `sprocket .pinionf 2 81re-1' z. i

ceivesasprocketchain throughwhichpower is conveyed to a shaft'lfthroughthe inter- .-195 mediarylof' a sprocket gear wheel 32. 'lhe .1 sha ftlfis suitably journaled :upon vsupporti-L` suitableclutch-35;=Powerristransmitte l' Vfrom the 'shaft y31 by means of sprocketchain 36 engaging the sprocket wheel 34 on the shaft 31, and anothersprocket wheel 37 on acounter-shaft 38 journaled on the support 33. 4Thecounter-shaft 38 carries a pin'- ion 39 in mesh with the gear wheel 4()mounted on a shaft 2G.

At each end ofthe shaft 2G there is mounted a sprocket wheel 41 coupledbyia sprocket chain .42 to another sprocket wheel 43 on a counter-shaft44 mounted in the corresponding frame 13 and transmitting p'ower by:means of the sprocket chain 45, to the shaft .115, before described. f

The construction is such that power may be 'transmitted to the tractionapron made ilp of the links 17 and members or treads 1S to propel theentire structure in either direction at appropriate speed and withoutneand suitably journaled on the support 33 as cessity of stopping orreversing the engine. On the power shaft 211there is a pinion-46 meshingwith the gear wheel 47 on another Shaft 48, which latter in turn carriesa. pinion 49 meshing with the gear wheel 50 on another shaft 51,carrying t-wo drums 52 shown. The pinion 46 -is under the control of aSuitable clutch 53 by means of which the pinion 46 may be coupled to orunconypled from the drive shaft 2l at will. On one end of the shaft 48is a band wheel 54 engaged by a friction hand 55 connected to and underthe control of an operating lever 56 pivotally secured at an appropriatepoint on the pla-tformjl. At the end of the frame 1' remote from theboiler 2 are erectedl two i lposts 57 spaced apart a distance equal tolthe frame.

width' of the frame or platform 1.- The up. er ends of these uprightsare held firmly y'brace rods 58 extending therefrom to the Vother end ofthe frame or platform 1.

Secured to but. spaced from the lower edges of the uprights remote fromthe platform 1 are guide members'59, receivingbetween them and the saiduprights the pivot support G0 of av U-shaped frame G1, the pivots beingat the free ends-of the side members of the iframe, and the connectingmember of the frame being at the end remote from the pivot or at theenter end of said f be elevated when desired by winding up the chains orcables G-l upon the drums 2.

Then however, it is desired to. lower the frame (31I about its pivotsupport G0, the

shaft ,4S which is normally disconnected from the power shaft ispermitted to rotate by lrelievingthe pressure of the friction band 55upon thefriction wheel 54, when the weight of the frame G1 and partscarried thereby will cause the said frame to graif'itate toward thelower position, and un wind the cables or chains G4 from the drums 52. i

Extending laterally across the frame -61 at appropriate points thereonand mounted in suitable journal supports on the side niembers of said`frame are. two shafts -GG and (37 each carrying a pair of suppertingrollers (3S distant more or less from the shafts't and G G is a thirdshaft G5), also carrying `rollers G8 and supported by suitable straps orbraces fast on the frame (31,.' 'The rollers v(33 are. shaped anddesigned ,to eachv receive and carry two spaced annular side members 71of the ditching wheel. 'These'two annular the Sametime spaced apart bypairs of angle bars 72 and 73, secured to the side members adjacent totheir respective inner and outer peripheries. `Fast to the, spacing bars73 are curved plates 74 projecting for a distance beyond the outer facesof the respective an nular side members 71. l Firmly secured to andextending radially outward from the two annular side members 71 of theditching wheel are the cutting edge members 75 of the ditching buckets,these buckets being completed by spaced strips 76 each ,connected at oneend to the cutting memb r 7 5 and at tlie other end brought to asupporting crossrpiece 77, to which all the strips are connected insubstantially parallelfrelation at their inner ends. The bucketstherefore, both constitute cutters and baskets for loosening up dirt andfor carrying the same. to-a point of. deposit while any water which maybe contained in the earth d ains off through the spaces between thestrips ith This is particularly` valuable where the ditching niachine isused in wet or marsliy ground for the water readily escapes through thebasketlike buckets and not ele 'ated by the action of the ditchingwheel. The outer ends of all the cutters 75 are connected together bybars 78. so thatwhile the outer ends of the buckets are some distancefrom the annular side members T1, each serves to support the gingbecause of the connecting bars 73.

i VFormed on or secured to the outer faces of the annular members 71near the inner periphery thereof, are projecting teeth 79 with whichengage suitable teeth formed on a pinionSO'fast on the shaft (315, therebeing a pinion for cach series of teeth 7S). l he l shaftJG also carriesa sprocket wheel Si. with and at another point approximatelyI v1200.

side members are connected together and at next adjacent'one against thestrain of dig-- JSG whichy engages a sprocket 82, turn engaglng anothersprocketwheel 88 on the Vchain. 86 lboom 8 7 to which it is connected,and then I started or stopped at the will ofthe operator.

Supportedby the frame Slis a conveyer frame, the side members 84 ofWhich are .shown in Fig. l as composed of channel iron.

The inner' end of this conveyer frame is -pivotally mounted on .theframe 61 andthe outer end lssupported by a yoke 85 carried by aextending over the outer end ot a to a suitable tackle -88 having oneend con- I-nected to one of the uprights 57, and the y chine. A handWheel 91 servesto operate ,the shaft- 90', and so controlsthe tackleconother to'a Winding drum 89 on a short shaft 90journaled in the otherupright 57 to be withinl reach of the operator who is stationed onthecorrespondmg 'side of the ma- 'nected to the drum 89. By means o't'the handWheel 91, theouter end of the conveyer frame maybe elevated orlowered and may beheld in the adjusted position by a suitable` pawl andratchet which, however, are not shown inthe drawings, this being a verycommon expedient for the purpose.

At the outer end of the conveyer frame is a shaft 92 carrying at itsouter ends sprocket Wheels 93 over 4which pass sprocketchains '94connected by cross pieces 95, to which is fastenedl a heavy canvas belt96 forming the receiving surface of the conveyer. `The sha-ftl 92carries a chain Wheel 974 bymeansof which rotative vmovement isimparted, tothe shaft 92. The chain wheel 97 receives motionI from anendless chain 98,

Vextending over idlers 99 and 100 by means of ,which its .direction ofmovement is changed and finally passing around a chain wheel 101 fast onone end of the shaft 66, so that the conveyer is set in motion in anappropriate direction as the ditching wheel rotates.

Carried by the frame 61 interior to but in close relation to the annularside members71, is a curved plate'102 so located as to close the innerends of the buckets against discharge during a certain portion of theirrotation about the axis of the ditching wheel for a .purpose which willpresently appear.

Let it beassumed that it is desirable to dig a ditch in soft, moist ormarshy ground. The ditching machine is conveyed to the desired locationunder its own steam acting then as a traction engine and because of theextensive surface presented by the polygonal Wheels l0 and tractionapron by which the engine is propelled, the very-broad 'surfacepresented prevents the machine from. sinking into the soft ground to anymaterial eX- tentj but at" the sameftime a slight separagaging theground. Xl/'helnhoweveig it isl desirable to begin the dltclnngoperation,

the ditching wheel is lowereduntil it is in engagement with the ground,by a suitable manipulation of the friction wheel 54. Bysuitably'coupling up the ditching wheel to the engine, rotary motion isimparted tol ine ditching wheel in a direction which will cause itslower portion to more in the saine direction as the travel or themachine and as the ditching operation progresses, the

buckets are allowed to sink into the ground to the desired depth of theditch, and then the machine may progress and the ditch be dug at auniform depth. As the buckets are lifted out ot' the ground any freewater which may be conta-ined in the dirt will lind its way through thestrips TG, back into the ditch, andthe comparatively dry dirt will beelevated toward the upper part of the wheel. The inner ends ot' thebuckets are open or free from obstruction, and so when they approach thehorizontal position there a likelihood of their contents falling out ofthe inner ends of the buckets. It is for thisl reason that the plate 102is provided so that the contents of the buckets `can not escape untilthe upper end ot the plate is reached, and this upper end is so locatedthat when the buckets discharge it will be upon the conveyer canvas 90,the said conveyer extending entirely through the ditching wheel, so asto readily receive any dirt'discharged from the buckets, which dischargeoit' the dirt is of course, effected by gravity.` As the ditchingoperation proceeds the conveyer is also caused to move so-as` to carrythe excavated dirt away from the machine,

and deposit it at some considerable distance from the ditch, or it'desired it may be deposited into carts and conveyed to a greaterdistance from the ditch. The elevation of the outer end of the conveyeris controlled by a suitable manipulation of the hand wheel 91, and thiselevation will depend upon the amount of dirt excavated and the speed ofthe conveyer, which factors will determine rthe height of the pile ofdirt deposited from the end O the conveyer.

The depth of cutter may be regulated by adjusting the pivot supports 60of the frame 61 vertically in the space between the guides 59 and theuprights 'so that the frame G1 may always 'be sety approximatelyhorizontal independent of the depth of cut, 'and the conveyer' apronwill therefore, also be in a substantially horizontal plane laterally,so that the material deposited thereon from the i buckets Will nottendto gravitate4 off the l slip. i p The connections between'lthe engineandv sides of the conveyer. It 'is to be observ d that the tractionaprons provide' an ext' nsive supportfor the dlt'ching' machine whereby1S adaptedto .operate in soft or marshy4 groun while at the' same time-alarge' tractivefsurface is providedwhich -is necessary I inf-marshylgroundwherethe character of the surface would'Y cause the tractionaprons 'and also the ditching Wheel are such that the ditching machine`may be propelled in either direction, an`d the' ditching Wheel may berotated independent of the 'movement of the machine and also theditching machne'may be given a forward' movement during the rotativemovement of the ditching Wheel, which latter will be theordinary conditionrfor continuous ditching operation.

' What is claimedis: v

41.' In a ditching machine, a ditching Wheel havingradialbuckets each.com osed' of a ra dially disposed cuttingrim an' a basket recgptaclefor the excavated material, formed of strips fast at one end to thelcutting rim,-

' and at' the other .end lying approximately parallel'and connected to across strip at the' discharge end of the-bucket.

. 2., In a ditchn machine, a ditching rvheelhaving radially 4ispcsed.cutting b uc ets all inter=c'cnneetedl at the ends most distant from,the axis cf rotation of the Wheels. I

3. 'In a'ditching Imachine,aditch1ng wheel provided with buckets havingradial cutting members all interconnected at their outer ends, andbasket receptacles for the exca- ,vated material comprising separatedstrips all connected at one end to the cutting mem- 'bers ,of thebucket,'and at the other end to a common cross member at the dlschargeend of thebucket. y

an ordinary traction Wheel to' 4, In a ditching machine,.a ditchingwheel comprised of twov spaced annularJmembers',

spacing bars ,connecting said members, cut.

V ters cpnnected'to the outer s acin' -ba'rs andv f 'projectin'laterally' beyond t e ou r face of; .v the annu ar members, and ditchinbuckets extending'radally-rom the annu ar men- L bers, each `bucketbeing composed o`f afcuttng 'member extendin ra i ally. 'from theannular members, and a asket for they rece tion of the excavatedmaterial composed o spaced- Astrips each connected atl o'n'e end to theci'1ttin member of thebucket'and at the other en toa commonco'nhectinmember extending between the inner. en s of'the Cutting'. member at thedischarge end of the bucket,

allthe buckets 'being interconnected at their' v outer ends.

'5. A ditching 'machine'comprising a'suit# i able vehicle, power meansthereon, steering'` i `Wheels having'broad polygonal peripheri'es,`broad elongated endless traction aprons in line -With the steeringWheels and operatively connectedto the prime mover of the vehicle,

vehicle and having its pivot support adjustable in` a verticalplane,said ditchingwheel ,having radially extended buckets intercon-v nectedat their outer ends and provided -with basket receptaclesV fortheexcavated material,

an adjustable conveyer extending intothe ditching Wheel and 'carriedbythe ditching Wheel support, means for' adjusting the ditching wheel in avertical plane about .its pivot 4a ditching Wheel pivotally supported onthe l.

support, and means for coupling the ditching

